SANDY, Utah (Thursday, January 7, 2016) – In conjunction with Major League Soccer, today Real Salt Lake announced its 2016 regular-season schedule, unveiling the club’s 34-game league slate for its 12th MLS season. The 17-game home calendar features the club's annual July fireworks games to celebrate Independence Day (Friday, July 1 v. D.C. United) and Pioneer Day (Friday, July 22 against San Jose Earthquakes), the defending MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers on June 18 and a stretch that sees six of the final nine and 13 of the final 21 regular-season matches at Rio Tinto Stadium in a home-heavy late Summer/Fall.
As previously announced, Real Salt Lake opens the league season following its home-and-home CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal series with UANL Tigres (MEX) on the road with the club’s first-ever Florida match on Sunday, March 6 against Orlando City SC, and the club's home opener on Saturday, March 12, against rival Seattle Sounders FC. The remaining calendar features five nationally televised matches, one Sunday home game, two midweeks and three Friday night contests.
The 2016 schedule has RSL playing six teams in the Western Conference three times each, and the other three in the West twice. As in previous seasons, RSL will face each team in the Eastern Conference once, with five matches at home and five on the road. RSL will play a trio of matches against the Rapids, Houston Dynamo, FC Dallas (twice each at Rio Tinto Stadium), and three games against each of Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City, hosting each just once. Among Western Conference opponents, Salt Lake will play two matches – one home and one away – against the LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and San Jose Earthquakes.
Due to Rio Tinto Stadium's field replacement from May 1 to June 15, RSL is forced to venture on its longest-ever road trip, playing five consecutive road matches from May 7 - June 2, returning to its home field on June 18 against the Timbers. Due to this unique circumstance, RSL will play three of its first four games and nine of its first 13 league matches away from home. Real Salt Lake has enjoyed a prominent home-field advantage since building its permanent Rio Tinto Stadium home in Sandy, boasting an 89-20-29 mark in the building since its opening in October, 2008.
The fan-created Rocky Mountain Cup series against the rival Colorado Rapids will feature two matches at Rio Tinto Stadium - on Saturday, April 9 and Friday, August 26 (6:00 p.m. MT kickoff, the club's earliest weeknight start in 12 seasons) - with one on the road at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday, May 7.
Against Eastern Conference foes this season, Rio Tinto Stadium will play host to the New York Red Bulls, D.C. United, the Montreal Impact, New England Revolution and Chicago Fire. Meanwhile, RSL will play road matches for the first time against both Orlando City and New York City FC, as well as the Eastern Conference champion Columbus Crew, Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC.
Head Coach Jeff Cassar returns 21 players from last season’s roster, including Major League Soccer’s all-time leader in games played by a field player, Captain Kyle Beckerman, and the all-time MLS shutout leader, GK Nick Rimando; along with the club’s all-time assist leader Javier Morales, two-time All-Star Tony Beltran, August addition Juan Manuel Martinez and FW Joao Plata, who won the club’s Golden Boot award in 2014.
The general public sale for 2016 season tickets is ongoing. The Rio Tinto Stadium box office is open Mon.-Fri., 10a-6p; more information can be found online at www.RSL.com/Tickets or via the Fan Relations Hotline at 801-727-2702.
REAL SALT LAKE 2016 SCHEDULE
Day Date Matchup Time (MT) TV Note:
Sun. March 6 @ Orlando City SC 12:00 KMYU RSL’s first ever match in Florida
SAT. MARCH 12 SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 2:00 KMYU All-Time RSL mark of 5-0-6 in MLS Home Openers
Sat. March 19 @ Portland Timbers 8:30 KMYU MLS Cup 2015 Champs Host Second of Six RSL Matches on Artificial Surface
Sat. April 2 @ Sporting Kansas City 6:30 KMYU A heated rivalry continues at newly-named Children’s Mercy Stadium in KC
SAT. APRIL 9 COLORADO RAPIDS 7:30 KMYU The 12th Rocky Mountain Cup kicks off at home
SAT. APRIL 16 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 8:00 KMYU Canadian upstarts swept RSL last season at Rio Tinto Stadium
Sat. April 23 @ LA Galaxy 8:30 KMYU Lone Southern California visit by RSL in 2016
SAT. APRIL 30 HOUSTON DYNAMO 7:30 KMYU Dynamo just 1-5-4 all-time at Rio Tinto Stadium
Sat. May 7 @ Colorado Rapids 7:00 KMYU RSL kicks off club-record 5-game road trip in Denver during RioT field renovation
Sat. May 14 @ Houston Dynamo TBA KMYU Morales magic has led RSL to back-to-back wins in Houston in 2014-15
Sat. May 21 @ Sporting Kansas City 6:30 KMYU RSL returns to site of MLS Cup 2013 heartbreak
Sat. May 28 @ Columbus Crew SC 5:30 KMYU Claret-and-Cobalt 2-8-2 across all comps in Ohio all-time
Thu. June 2 @ New York City FC TBD KMYU First-ever visit to Yankee Stadium for RSL
SAT. JUNE 18 PORTLAND TIMBERS 8:00 KMYU Defending MLS Cup champs visit for the first game on the new grass field.
WED. JUNE 22 NEW YORK RED BULLS 8:00 KMYU RSL 4-0-5 in reg. season play against Red Bulls, who opened RioT in 2008
Sat June 25 @ FC Dallas 7:00 KMYU RSL 1-13-2 all-time, all comps at Dallas
FRI. JULY 1 DC UNITED 8:30 KMYU/Univision Saborio and Espindola visit Rio Tinto for the first time together
SAT. JULY 9 MONTREAL IMPACT 8:00 KMYU Who will replace Drogba as Impact seek first-ever W in Utah?
Wed. July 13 @ Vancouver Whitecaps FC TBA RSL takes 1-5-1 mark into BC Place
SAT. JULY 16 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION 8:00 KMYU Two biggest margins of victory in RSL history came at home v NE
FRI. JULY 22 SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 9:00 KMYU/Univision Quakes with just two wins all-time at Rio Tinto Stadium
Sun. July 31 @ Philadelphia Union TBA RSL unbeaten in eight games all-time against Philly
Wed. August 3 @ Toronto FC TBA Second East Coast double of 2016 for RSL eases road fatigue
SAT. AUGUST 6 CHICAGO FIRE 8:00 KMYU Fire only visiting club to boast +.500 mark in Utah (3-2-3)
Sun. August 14 @ Seattle Sounders FC 5:00 FS1 First of two visits to C-Link in final months of season
SAT. AUGUST 20 FC DALLAS 8:00 KMYU Six of final nine 2016 games at home for RSL
FRI. August 26 COLORADO RAPIDS 6:00 KMYU/Univision Earliest weeknight kickoff in club history
WED. SEPTEMBER 7 LA GALAXY 7:30 KMYU Lone Galaxy visit of 2016 after two LA losses at RioT last year
Sat. September 10 @ Portland Timbers 8:30 KMYU RSL enters 2016 unbeaten in last six visits to Providence Park
SAT. SEPTEMBER 17 HOUSTON DYNAMO 7:30 KMYU Can Morales recreate dominant 2014, 2015 performances v. Dynamo?
SAT. SEPTEMBER 24 FC DALLAS 7:30 KMYU RSL 9-5-4 all-time at home against Metroplex visitors
Sat. October 1 @ San Jose Earthquakes 8:30 KMYU RSL boasts club-best.500 road mark at SJ (5-5-4 all comps)
SUN. OCTOBER 16 SPORTING KANSAS CITY 5:00 TBD RSL winners of two straight v. KC at home since disputed 2013 result
Sun. October 23 @ Seattle Sounders FC 2:00 KMYU Decision Day in MLS on the final day of the regular season
